After winning the opening three races of the year, the former MotoGP rider had been caught a𒐪nd passed by reigning champion Jake Gagne.

But the Yamaha rider’s quest🙈 for a ninth victory of 🐓the season came to a dramatic end when he fell from the lead of race two at Brainerd International Raceway.

That mistake not only handed Petrucci his fourth win of the year, and first since💝 April, but propelled the Warhorse Ducati rider back to the top of the standings by 13-points.

“I [made] the samﷺe mistake as yesterday, hitting neutral on the penultimate corner and then Jake made a gap,” said Petrucci.

“I said, ‘I have nothing to lose. I’m behind him in the championship, behind him in this race. So, I need to try.’ [But] at the moment I said, ‘okay, he [escaped] again’. unfort⛄unately, he crashed. I’m sorry for him. I hope he is okay. That’s racing.”

The Italian eventually won by 7.1s from G🅷agne’s team-mate Cameron Petersen.

“Congrats to Danilo on 🐬another win,” said Petersen. “Bummer my team-mate crashed out on that one. He obviously had the gap and kind of seemed like he had it in the bag, but that’s racing.”

Thr♑ee rounds and six races now remain to dec✅ide the 2022 title.

“The championship is definitely still open. But I must be🌃 honest. Jake in this moment is a bit faster than us,” Petrucci warned.

“I have nothing to lose at this point. I never look at 🦩the points. I know Jake is faster, but I need to stay in front of him ꦅbecause we cannot make any calculation with him.

“He’s always first, and you need to beaꦡt him. Congrats to these guys [on the podium] and thanks to my team.”

Petrucci, who like Gagne is being linked with a possible WorldSBK wild-card appearance at the end of this season, is yet to confirm 💃his 2023 racing📖 plans but wants to remain with Ducati.